Amid the Opposition’s efforts to bring caste-based census to the forefront of national politics, especially in the lead-up to the upcoming assembly elections in five states, Union Home Minister Amit Shah made it clear that the BJP does not engage in politics driven by appeasement for votes. He highlighted the importance of careful deliberation before making a decision on the matter.
Shah’s statement comes as the discussion surrounding a caste-based census gains momentum and political significance in India. The BJP’s stance on this issue is expected to play a role in shaping the discourse ahead of the forthcoming elections.
The Home Minister’s words indicate a willingness within the party to consider the issue, but the final decision will be made following internal party discussions.
Meanwhile, speaking on the caste-based census at a press conference in Bhopal on Friday, BJP leader and former Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad targeted Congress leader Rahul Gandhi saying he hasn’t done the necessary homework on the issue.
“Rahul Gandhi has been speaking on the caste-based census. Congress leaders Kamal Nath and Digvijaya Singh are also following in his footsteps and humming the same tune. The thing about Rahul Gandhi is when someone hands on a chit, he gets stuck on a particular issue. That’s his brand of politics. Earlier, he got similar chits about Rafale, Savarkar and now Nitish Kumar has handed him the chit on caste-based census,” he said.
The Bihar Chief Minister recently announced the findings of the inaugural caste-based census.”I said in the Lok Sabha that Rahul Gandhi does not do his homework, and I will say the same again. The caste census in Bihar was flawed on many counts. The rights of extremely backward people were violated, and the number of extremely backward people was reduced. For the first time in the country, Muslims have been considered forward, backward, and extremely backward,” he added.
The BJP leader added that as many as 80 of the party MPs were from backward classes. “The BJP has the most number of MLAs belonging to OBCs and the extremely backward category. The Prime Minister himself is an OBC. Droupadi Murmu became elected as the first Adivasi President of India. Ramnath Kovind, a Dalit, was also a former President,” the BJP leader added.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has been taking potshots at the BJP over the “lack of adequate representation of OBCs” in secretary-level posts at the Centre.
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